Mail box for walls



H. P. JOHNSQN MAIL Box FOR WALLS Aug. 26, 1947.

Filed Sept. 25, 1946 nyt I I H H. I h l hwh l l m Patented Aug. 26, 1947 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE MAIL BOX FOR WALLS Herbert P. Johnson, Minneapolis, Minn. Application September 25, 1946, Serial No. 699,221

Claims. (Cl. 23219) This invention relates to a mailbox and particularly to a mailbox adapted to be installed in a wall. Such mailboxes are now used in large numbers in residences, office buildings and other places. Such boxes have an opening at one side of the wall through which the letters or pieces of mail may be passed and also have an opening at the other side of said wall, usually below said first mentioned opening, through which said pieces of mail may be withdrawn.

It is often desirable to install such a mailbox in a wall of a residence or other building after the building has been completed. This usually entails making rather large openings through the Wall.

It is an object of this invention to provide a mailbox constructed and arranged to be folded or collapsed into contracted form so that it can be very easily inserted through comparatively small openings in opposite sides of the wall.

It is another object of the invention to provide a mailbox adapted to be installed in a Wall comprising a member of flexible, resilient or foldable material, the same preferably being in one integral piece and having a laterally extending upper portion with an open end constructed and arranged to extend through one side of a wall, an intermediate portion extending downwardly from said portion within said wall and a lower laterally extending portion with an open end constructed and arranged to extend through the opposite side of said wall. 2

It is more specifically an object of the inven tion to provide such a device as set forth in the preceding paragraph, one or more ends of said member being provided with terminal flanges extending thereabou-t, together with covers or doors for closing the ends of said member.

It is still further an object of the invention to provide a device such as set forth in the preceding paragraph save one, one laterally extending portion of said member being provided with spaced flanges extending thereabout adapted to be disposed at opposite sides of one portion of a wall, together with lugs of novel form constructed and arranged to hold the trunnions or pintle of a swinging door for closing said portion.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of the device; e

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a partial view in front elevation as seen from the side opposite that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line i-4 of Fig. 2, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan View;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken substantially on line 66 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 7 is a partial vertical section taken on line L-l of Fig. 3, as indicated by the arrows; and

Fig. 8 is a partial vertical section taken on line 8--8 of-Fig 3, as indicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, a device is shown comprising a member NJ. Member ID will be made of some flexible or foldable material which can be folded, collapsed or contracted into a rather small space and which can be readily unfolded or expanded to assume its normal form. Such material may be resilient although this is not essential to the invention. While member It might be otherwise made, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated it is shown as comprising one integral piece of material. Said member has a passage extending therethrough from one end to the other and is thus generally of tubular form. While the form of member it could vary, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated it is shown as substantially rectangular in transverse cross section. The walls of member ll) may be of comparatively small thick ness, as shown. Member H] has an upper laterally extending portion lfla having an open end, said portion being constructed and arranged to extend through an opening in one side Ila of a wall ll, said portion preferably having a terminal flange ldb extending thereabout. The side I la of said wall is shown as having an inner portion lib which may comprise the usual studding, laths and plaster and an outer portion I la which is shown as comprising the usual siding customarily made of overlapping boards. Flange 16b engages the exterior of the outer portion lic and is overlaid by a plate [2 having an opening therethrough aligning with the open end of portion Illa. Plate IE will be held in place by suitable nails or screws 13 extending through holes therein into portion Ila. Plate 12 is shown as having its upper portion disposed beneath one of the members of siding Ila. Plate I2 preferably is provided with an inwardly extending flange [2a at its bottom and sides which projects slightly into the end of portion II'Ia. Plate I2 at its portion above the opening therein has a part I2b which extends outwardly and downwardly in substantially semi-cylindrical form. A cover or door I4 is provided having inwardly extending lugs Ida bored to receive pintle pins I5 which extend outwardly into lugs I20 formed at the opposite sides of plate I2.; While lugs I20 could bev variously formed, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated they are preferably bent or pressed in plate I2. Door It is thus hinged to plate I2 and its upper end extends somewhat into portion I2b while its lower end engages the outer side of plate I2. Member Ill has a portion IIlc which extends inwardly and downwardly from portion Illa and it has an intermediate portion Iild extending downwardly within wall II and a lower outwardly extending portion IIle which extends laterally or horizontally outward through the other side He of wall II. The walls of portion 100 are preferably of increased thickness. Side He will usually be the inner side of the wall and its exterior will be finished in the usual manner for the interior of a room. At some intermediate part of its length, member I0 is preferably provided with'reversely extending folds IIlf illustrated as being disposed at portion Itlc. Folds IEif are shown as disposed in superposed substantially engaging relation. Member II} has a bottom portion Iflg at the lower part of portion Iild, which bottom portion is preferably provided with an aperture IDh extending through a downwardly projecting lug or boss I01. Portion Ille is shown as having spaced flanges I0 extending thereabout, the outer one of which is a terminal flange and engages the exterior of wall portion Ho. The other flange engages the opposite side of wall portion IIc. Flanges I07 preferably have spaced ribs extending therebetween. The outer flange I07 also has projecting therefrom. spaced lugs IIlm. Lugs Ifim are'provided with substantially cylindrical openings I612 extending therein from their adjacent sides to adjacent the opposite sides thereof and said lugs have slits I00 extending upwardly from openings Inn to the tops of said lugs respectively. A'door I! is provided arranged to close the open end of portion IIle and while this door could be made of-various materials, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated itis shownas made' of rubber or rubberlike material, the same having a central upwardly extending portion Ila in which is secured a rod or pintle I8 the ends of which extend into openings Iiln in lugsl01n.- Member I8 may be-imbedd'ed in door IT and the same is shown as having a central portion I8a bent downwardly somewhat. Door I! has a downwardly extending central portion I'Ib forming a handle. Door II isshown as having a flange at its inner side adjacent its top which engages the outer side of portion IEle and said door has a latch portion ITc adjacent itslower end adapted to extend some distance into portion Ilie, the same having a downwardly extending terminal lip adapted tohook over an upwardly extending lug or rib I919 at the bottom of portion lfle.

The member ID described can beyery easily and conveniently installed in the wall.

pressed so as to be contracted as desired and it can be pushed through the upper opening and then pulled through the lower opening. The flange Illb will be positioned, as shown, and portion IIle can be easily positioned as shown in the opening in portion 0. Plate I2 can then be placed in position and secured by members I3. Door I4 can then be put into place, one of thepintle pinsIS being inserted-insone of the lugs I2c. The other lug I2c which has been bent outwardly will then be brought to the position shown in Fig. 3 and the other pintle pin I5 inserted therein. Door I4 will then be in the positionshown in Figs. 2 and 3. Door I! can easily be placed in position by pressing the ends of member I8 downwardly through the slits I00 into the openings Inn. The opening IIlh is provided so'that any dust or dirt may pass therethrough as well as any moisture which might collect in member ID by condensation or otherwise. member II] to accommodate different spacings of the openings for portions Illa and IIJe.

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided a simple and very efficient structure of mailbox and one which can be very readily installed in a building already completed or in a building while the same is being constructed. The device results in a great saving of time and labor ininstalling such a mailbox. When installed the device comprises a very desirable and efiicient box. The postman can insert the mail by lifting door I4 and the mail will then pass downwardly in member I I] to the bottom thereof where it can be very easily secured and withdrawn by lifting door IT. The portion I'Ia has sufficient stiffness and resiliency to be held in its closed position by lug or rib Illp and yet it can readily be disengaged from portion Illp by being swung outwardly when taken hold of by its handle Ill). The box is very firmly and securely held in .position by the flanges I07 and by plate I2 engaging flange I011. The device is waterproof and weatherproof and a tight seal is had both at the inner and outer sides of the door. broken by expansion and contraction of the wall due to temperature changes. With the prior metal boxes-such expansion and contraction of the wall 'often results in the formation of cracks about the box which let in cold air. The box and parts used therewith can be very conveniently packed and shipped. It'will be apparent that the device will have a high degree of utility for. the purpose intended.

It will of course be' understood that various changes maybe made'in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which generally stated; consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth,.in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined-in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A mailbox for-installation in a wall having in combination, a member of flexible and foldable material, the same having a passage therethroughand having an'upper laterally extended portionwithan open end constructed and arranged to extend through one side of a wall, an

intermediate portion extending downwardly from said'upper portion withinsaid-wall and a lower portionextending laterally through theopposite side of said wall and :having anopen end.

2."A mailbox for-installation in a wall having in combination, a member of flexible and fold-- able material and comprising one integral piece The folds IIlf provide reserve length in The said'seals are .not affected or.

of said material, said member having a passage therethrough with comparatively thin walls, said member having an upper laterally extending portion with an open end constructed and arranged to extend through one side of a wall, an intermediate portion constructed and arranged vertically within said wall and a lower laterally extending portion having an open end constructed and arranged to extend through the opposite side of said wall.

3. A mailbox for installation in a wall having in combination, a member of flexible and foldable material having a passage therethrough, said member having an upper laterally extending portion with an open end constructed and arranged to extend through one side of a wall, said portion having a terminal flange extending outwardly from its end adapted to engage the outer side of said wall, said member having an intermediate portion extending downwardly within said wall, and a lower laterally extending portion adapted to extend through the opposite side of said wall and having a terminal flange extending thereabout adapted to engage the exterior of said latter side.

l. A mailbox for installation in a wall having in combination, a member of flexible and foldable material having a passage therethrough and having upper and lower portions constructed and arranged respectively to extend through opposite sides of a wall and having open ends, one of said portions having a terminal flange extending thereabout, a plate overlying said flange and secured to the outer side of said wall, said plate having an opening therethrough aligning with the opening in said portion, and a cover for said opening in said plate.

5. The structure set forth in claim 4, said plate having a flange extending into said open end of said portion.

6. A mailbox for installation in a wall having in combination, a member of flexible and foldable material having a passage therethrough and having upper and lower portion constructed and arranged respectively to extend through opposite sides of a wall and having open ends, one of said portions having spaced flanges extending thereabout adapted to be disposed at and engage opposite sides of one side portion of a wall, and a swinging cover for closing the end of said portion.

'7. A mailbox for installation in a wall having in combination, a member of flexible and foldable material having a passage therethrough, said member having an upper laterally extending portion with an open end constructed and arranged to extend through One side of a wall, an inwardly and downwardly extending portion extending from said first mentioned portion, an intermediate downwardly extending portion extending from said second portion, and a lower laterally extending portion constructed and arranged to extend through the opposite side of said wall, said member having a bottom at one side of said last mentioned portion, said bottom having an opening therethrough.

8. The structure set forth in claim 1, said member being folded reversely upon itself with substantially engaging folds intermediate the ends thereof.

9. A mailbox for installation in a wall having in combination, a member of flexible and foldable material having a passage therethrough, said member having upper and lower laterally extending portions with open ends constructed and arranged respectively to extend through opposite sides of a wall, one of said portions having a terminal flange extending thereabout adapted to engage the outer side of said wall, said flange having spaced lugs projecting therefrom with aligned openings for receiving a trunnion, said lugs having slits extending from said openings respectively to the tops of said lugs.

10. The structure set forth in claim 9, a door for closing the open end of said Portion having trunnions adapted to be pressed downwardly through said slits into said openings.

HERBERT P. JOHNSON. 

